For as long as I can remember, I have been interested in family history and genealogy. I have been compiling information on the various branches of my family tree since I was a teenager. This blog is my forum for sharing what I have uncovered over the past 20 years of off and on research.
Most of my personal research is centered on the four main branches of my family tree – St. John, Coulman, Fee, Hunter – and other associated families (including Davey, Summerville, Lusty, Salter, Thomas, Ansted, Burton, Doan and Oakley). To date, the majority of my research has been focused in Ontario and Quebec in the 1800s but I am starting to move back across the ocean to England, Ireland and Palatine Germany in the 1800s and earlier. I am hopeful that some of this research will be of use to others and will help me connect with a long lost cousin or two! If you think we have a connection, please leave a comment or email (jen (at) jenasmart (dot) com) me.
I have also started doing research for others. If you are interested in hiring a genealogist to do some of your research for you, please take a look at my new website, www.smartgenealogy.ca
Love your new blog – great job! I know that I and the rest of the genealogy blogging community will be looking forward to your new posts.
I enjoyed reading this very, have tracked by 9 generations here in the U.S.
We, the Ansteads, came across from England but this was very early or most probably late 1600´s. We have a homestead in Indiana. It is on the national registry list as a historical site.
However before that we had been moving continually west, maybe the adventurous types no, moving west and north our part of the family tree.
Eventually Charles Anstead Sr. settled in Indiana in 1745 to 1750, I am not quite sure of these dates. Charles Anstead Sr. died in Atherton, Indiana in 1801. His son Charles Anstead Jr. took over the homestead and he later died in 1888.
His son William Warren Anstead was born in 1877. This my great,great grandfather. He had two sons, Joseph and Paul.
Anstead, my grandfather Paul died early in life at the age of 52 from consumption. His son William Warren Anstead was my father.
My mother has recently passed away. However, sibblings always seems to have arguments that endure over time. However, my sister has my baby book and after making a contract with her, my sister had agreed to give it back because it goes back nine generations. It gives names, dates of births and deaths. It means a lot to me and I would really like to share the information with you, however my sister likes to keep things to herself and will not give it back to me. So just let it rather than to perputuate hard feelings.
In the part of the family I am in, I am the last male living male, married but can not have children. If you think you would like share that information, I could give you her email address and you can use it to fill in the blanks. She, my sister, probably would give you a copy of it.
Also you can find our homestead in the national registry of homesteads in Indiana. The current owners of the homestead also have knowledge of our history. Would also like that.
I have enjoyed reading this so very much, thank you. I currently live in Lima, Peru South America.
Thomas Joseph Anstead
I am preparing for an upcoming genealogy presentation about examples of blogs and how they are used effectively in genealogy and family history. I would like to use your blog as an example. I would like to accurately describe and present your efforts. Could you please provide me:
-Description (50 words or less) for each of your blogs
-Short profile (if desired)
-Link where you want genealogists to first come
Kindest regards,
Barry J. Ewell
Just wanted to say hi…I received a newsletter from Genealogy Canada listing new /improved bloggs…so I’ve been going through the list checking them out. Yours interested me as you mentioned the 16th as being an anniversary. The 16th is an anniversary for me as it is when my mum passed, but from that I inherited all her genealogy research which inspired me to start my art projects.
Happy Genealogy from over the water in England. By the way I grew up in Norfolk and know Loddon fairly well.
Regards
Nathan
Thomas Oakley (brother of your great-great grandmother Alice Coulman) is my great-great grandfather. It is great to find family on this never ending pursuit of family heritage.
Thanks for having a website and posting your wanderings. I have the Oakley family well mapped out if you are interested.
Regards,
Rick
Thank you for your site, Jen. I am also descended from Thomas Fee and Charlotte Williams (through their son William and his son Frank). It seems our great-grandfathers were first cousins. My father is also a genealogist and we have often wondered about Thomas’ and Charlotte’s origins in Ireland, and have sketchy information of their life in Canada similar to yours. I remember learning about of a great-great-uncle John Fee (your ancestor, with the same name as mine). If you wish to compare notes more thoroughly I could put you in contact with my father, although it appears to me much of our information is the same as yours. John Fee
I am a Lusty currently living in Canada , I believe my grandfather was from Ireland and would love any information on any of the Lusty family that you have attached to your family tree.
I have been searching for many years but have not had much luck . I am curious to see if we are some how connected through the Lusty link .
Please contact me if you are interested in sharing information .
Hi Jen,
Just stumbled across your blog – fantastic! Fascinating read – I always wondered why a whole Burton family emigrated to Canada.
I calculate you are a 6th cousin (?) to my wife Anne Belinda Burton
You quote Thomas Burton & Alice Maria Hardy as 4g-grandparents….here is the link:
Thomas Burton (1785-1867) was the son of:
Thomas Burton (1757-1831) & Elizabeth Sendall (1758-1822)
and Thomas Burton was the son of:
Henry Burton (1715-1782) & Mary (1717-1785)
and Henry Burton is my wife’s 5g-grandfather, your common ancestor, as follows:
Henry Burton (1715-1782) & Mary
– Henry Burton (1747-1802) & Mary Smith
– Thomas Burton (1785-1841) & Sarah Dale – (WE HAVE
HIS PORTRAIT ON THE WALL)
– John Burton (1817-1883) & Caroline Watson
– John William Burton (1853-1943) & Mary Stanley
Dent (AND HIS PORTRAIT TOO)
– John Stanley Burton (1884-1916) & Lilian
Bostock
– John Harold Stanley Burton (1913-1993) &
Jacqueline Forte
– Anne Belinda Burton (1961- ) & Thomas
Peet (1955- )
We are in London. Happy to share and chat so please do email me when you can.
Kind regards
Tom